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Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 1:7

Called to be saints - Invited to become holy persons, by believing the Gospel and receiving the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Or, here, the word may have the meaning of made or constituted, as above; κλητοις αγιοις , to all that be in Rome, Constituted saints, for they had already received the Gospel grace, and were formed into a Christian Church. Grace to you - χαρις υμιν ; May you be partakers of the Divine favor, the source whence every blessing is derived. I think it necessary,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 1:8

First, I thank my God - From this to the end of Romans 1:17 ; belongs to the preface, in which the apostle endeavors to conciliate the good opinion of the Christians at Rome, and to prepare their minds for his reproofs and exhortations. Your faith is spoken - καταγγελλεται , is celebrated, throughout the whole world - in every place where the Christian religion is professed, through all parts of the Roman dominions; for in this sense we should understand the words, the whole world. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 1:9

Whom I serve with my spirit - λατπευω Whom I worship with the profoundest religious reverence; for so the original certainly means: I not only employ all the powers of my body in this service, but all those of my soul; being thoroughly convinced of the absolute truth of the religion I preach. Probably St. Paul opposes, in this place, the spiritual worship of the Gospel to the external, or what some call the carnal, worship of the Jews. Mine is not a religion of ceremonies, but one in which... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 1:10

Making request, etc. - By this we see how earnestly the apostle longed to see Rome. It had long been a subject of continual prayer to God, that he might have a prosperous journey to, or rather meeting with, them, for so we should understand the word ευοδωθησμαι· that he had a prosperous meeting with them we cannot doubt; that he had a disastrous journey to them the 27th of the Acts fully proves. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 1:7

Verse 7 7.To all of you who are at Rome, etc. By this happy arrangement he sets forth what there is in us worthy of commendation; he says, that first the Lord through his own kindness made us the objects of his favor and love; and then that he has called us; and thirdly, that he has called us to holiness: but this high honor only then exists, when we are not wanting to our call. Here a rich truth presents itself to us, to which I shall briefly refer, and leave it to be meditated upon by each... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 1:8

Verse 8 8. I first (28) indeed, etc. Here the beginning commences, altogether adapted to the occasion, as he seasonably prepares them for receiving instruction by reasons connected with himself as well as with them. What he states respecting them is, the celebrity of their faith; for he intimates that they being honored with the public approbation of the churches, could not reject an Apostle of the Lord, without disappointing the good opinion entertained of them by all; and such a thing would... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 1:9

Verse 9 9.For God is my witness, etc. He proves his love by its effects; for had he not greatly loved them, he would not have so anxiously commended them to the Lord, and especially he would not have so ardently desired to promote their welfare by his own labors. His anxiety then and his ardent desire were certain evidences of his love; for had they not sprung from it, they would never have existed. And as he knew it to be necessary for establishing confidence in his preaching, that the Romans... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 1:10

Verse 10 10.Requesting, if by any means, etc. As it is not probable that we from the heart study his benefit, whom we are not ready to assist by our labors, he now adds, after having said that he was anxious for their welfare, that he showed by another proof his love to them, as before God, even by requesting that he might be able to advance their interest. That you may, therefore, perceive the full meaning, read the words as though the word also were inserted, requesting also, if by any means,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 1:1-7

A. Salutation with long interposed parenthesis, suggested by "gospel of God." The parenthesis, expressing thoughts of which the writer's mind is full, intimates the purport of the coming treatise. It also intimates his claim, afterwards more fully asserted ( Romans 15:15 , seq.), to demand a hearing from the Roman Church. It is St. Paul's way, when full of an idea, thus to interrupt his sentences at the suggestion of a word. Somewhat similar interpositions are found in the opening... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 1:1-7

Paul's description of himself; or, the story of a noble life. An autobiography, the story of our own life, is a dangerous thing for a man to write. We are partisan judges of our own character. We conceal our own faults and exaggerate our own virtues. An autobiography, too, is often very dull and very dry. But the autobiography of St. Paul is at once interesting and truthful. As Paley, in his 'Horae Paulinae,' has so clearly shown, Paul's account of his own personal history, as given in his... read more

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